Murong Yun glanced at the sky; it was gray, bleak, and cold. The winter seemed endless, much like the ceaseless drifting snow.
At this moment, even she was uncertain about the fate of Liaozhou City.
The three spies picked this moment to act—no doubt the enemy beyond the walls was growing impatient. Fine then, since the city’s fall means death regardless, harsh as it sounds, they might as well be put to use.
Murong Yun had never thought herself cold‑blooded, but as she looked upon the frail common folk everywhere, she realized she could hardly be called a good person either.
"It’s not impossible to get a full meal."
Murong Yun closed her eyes briefly, the corner of her mouth twisting into a helpless, cold smile. Under the spies' gazes, which were a mixture of excitement and hesitation, she slowly stated: "Provided you enlist as soldiers, you can certainly eat your fill—proper meals."
In truth, even the soldiers defending the city can only eat until they are about eighty percent full.
The truth is, if they really start the full assault, we probably won't hold out for more than a few days. Any grain we save now would just end up benefiting the enemy anyway.
Considering the situation in Liaozhou City at this time, it's no wonder the city was breached in the book. It wasn't just because Hua Yan and Hua Wu were absent; but now they even have the unexpected presence of Hua Le.
If she hadn't come this time, leaving only Wang Ru and that seventh-tier Deputy General Su, the city's fall would have been entirely at the whim of the enemy.
The only reason they are delaying their attack now is because they want to minimize their own casualties and losses.
At present, she could not spare thought for Hua Yan’s life; but Liaozhou City—this she had to defend, no matter the cost.
While Murong Yun wrestled with her conflicted thoughts, the three Pingyun spies, watching her divert army rations to the civilians, couldn’t hold back from stirring up more trouble.
"But does what you say actually count?" The three exchanged glances, intending to push further and solidify the promise.
Seeing the spies nearly tearing off their disguises and abandoning all pretense of acting, Murong Yun let out a cold sneer. She immediately turned away and attempted to persuade Wang Ru instead.
“Madam, if you trust me, you may entrust the defense of the city to me. I swear to guard Liaozhou City with my life.”
Murong Yun looked intently into Wang Ru's eyes, swearing each word as if it were a solemn vow.
Wang Ru gazed into those eyes—firm, carrying the resolve of burning bridges—and, almost unconsciously, she nodded. By the time she realized it, Murong Yun’s face had already blossomed into a smile.
It was beautiful, yet her heart trembled; she even regretted nodding so readily, and was already wondering whether she should explain herself.
At this moment, A'Xuan could see the struggle and hesitation in Wang Ru's eyes. He directly took a step forward, his clear, smooth voice carrying a tone of casual indifference.
His tone was impossible to resist: "Madam, why not let Miss Lei have a try? After all, she personally killed a seventh-tier expert from the Pingyun Kingdom."
"She is truly the most formidable woman I have ever encountered in my life."
Wang Ru wasn't the only one who heard that segment of conversation. Everyone present with good hearing coincidentally overheard the entire thing, loud and clear.
"When that expert was struggling in his death throes, he was apparently still shouting about being 'Blood-Something Blade-Something', which was quite frightening."
A'Xuan even added another remark, his tone still tinged with lingering fear.
Upon hearing this, Murong Yun's mouth twitched. She couldn't help but roll her eyes internally.
If she remembered correctly, that unlucky 'Blood Blade' (Xue Dao) expert was killed without a single blink by this very same person who now claims to be "scared," wasn't he?
And an adjective like "formidable"... is that really appropriate?
It must be said, though, that Ah Xuan's flowery (and exaggerated) praise completely convinced Wang Ru.
Having followed Hua Yan for many years, Wang Ru naturally knew exactly who the "Blood Blade" was. Although the man was just a deputy general in the invading army, he was actually the Pingyun Emperor's trusted confidant and sworn brother, as well as a seventh-tier Earth Spirit expert.
A ferocious blade technique—so impressive that even generals must take notice. Truly not simple.
Unexpectedly, this young Miss Lei, at such a tender age, could slay such a master…
Those words exploded among the common folk, and in their eyes toward Murong Yun there was now more fear.
This is no delicate beauty—it is clearly a bloodthirsty heroine.
"Since Miss Lei is so extraordinary, I shamelessly entrust Liaozhou City to you. All military supplies within, you may freely command."
Wang Ru no longer hesitated; she stepped forward and grasped Murong Yun’s hand, solemnly entrusting him with a responsibility as heavy as Mount Tai. At the same time, a breath of relief escaped her heart.
Although Deputy General Su remained in the city, he was occupied with defending the walls. With the city lord’s family ruined, every stir or disturbance in Liaozhou now required her decision.
Though she endured for some time, with Le’er and Wu’er both missing, she was already exhausted in body and spirit.
Now that there is a suitable person willing to take over, she naturally could not ask for more.
As for suspicion? Impossible. Since the other party dared to return Le’er at such a time, they clearly could not be an enemy—otherwise they would have used Le’er to threaten her instead.
Moreover, Axuan was someone she had personally saved. Though his behavior was sometimes strange, he was a man with principles. Deputy General Su had even remarked that this person was unfathomable and far from ordinary.
But her judgment of people was precise, and she never employed those she doubted—so why not gamble boldly this time.
In truth, Wang Ru lived up to A'xuan’s praise: as a woman, not only were her meals delicious, but she also lacked neither courage nor resolve.
Seeing Wang Ru entrust her in this way, Murong Yun’s expression tightened. She nodded with utmost seriousness, then turned and issued orderly instructions.
Under the stream of orders, the people of Liaozhou—intimidated by Murong Yun’s earlier methods—no longer dared to stir trouble.
According to the rules, only those willing to fight alongside the soldiers are entitled to military rations. Those unwilling are not forced—they may still receive porridge. But if they cause trouble again, it is punishable by death.
Under such temptation, of the roughly seven thousand people remaining, fewer than three thousand were willing to fight.
Murong Yun looked at these people—old and young, men and women. Whatever else, it was courage. She assigned the able-bodied men to reinforce the city gates.
As for the weak and the young, they were assigned elsewhere according to their abilities.
At the same time, the granary needs to tally the stores. Wang Ru, skilled in such matters, took charge of it. Meanwhile, Murong Yun glanced at A'xuan, not forgetting to add in the grain painstakingly brought from the old City God Temple.
A'xuan saw this and said nothing, but Murong Yun still gave another order: have one of the donkeys killed.
After all, one of the laborers had previously been drooling over donkey meat—if he wasn’t given some now, it might not do.
As for those three spies, Murong Yun had them bound and hung upon the city wall, to serve as a warning to all: anyone harboring treachery would be executed.
She also had notices posted throughout the city: cannibalism was strictly forbidden. If discovered, the offender would be executed by slow slicing; if reported, the informant would be richly rewarded.
In this way, they sought to completely stamp out atrocities like Cao Lingzhi’s earlier act of killing her own child.
Once these arrangements were in place, a man in heavy armor, sword in hand, hurried to the gate, accompanied by many soldiers.
When the man hurried over through the snow, he discovered the riot was already over, and some of the townsfolk were obediently lining up to register for something.
🐇♡🐇♡🐇♡🐇
Murong Yun: “Madam, I’ll guard the city with my life!”
Wang Ru: nods before realizing “…Wait, did I just sign up for that?”
A'xuan: “Relax, let Miss Lei try—she already chopped the seventh‑rank Blood Knife like it was lunch.”
Onlookers: all whispering loudly “She is formidably scary!”
Murong Yun: eye‑roll “Great. Now it’s public record.”
A'xuan: The real culprit of killing blood knife."It was really scary." Wiping tears from 'extreme fear.'
Wang Ru: Patted A'xuan's shoulder sympathetically. "Poor A'Xuan."
Murong Yun: Wrongfully accused of killing Blood knife, sighing. “Poor Me.”
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